Karl Malone’s Legendary Collection of Dream Team Memorabilia Sets Records

For basketball history aficionados, few teams hold the same esteem as the 1992 United States men’s Olympic basketball team, commonly known as the «Dream Team.» This legendary team, comprising iconic players like Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson, not only clinched the gold in Barcelona but also reshaped the global basketball landscape with their masterful 8-0 performance at the Olympics.

The value of memorabilia from this illustrious team has soared over the years, becoming highly coveted commodities. Notably, former Dream Team member Karl Malone garnered attention last year when he earned a staggering $5 million from auctioning 24 pieces of memorabilia tied to the team. Among these items were the game-worn jerseys of his teammates, each signed by all 12 original members of the Dream Team.

Karl Malone’s story of acquiring these valuable items is intriguing. As revealed on Netflix’s «King of Collectibles,» Malone credited his wife for collecting the jerseys during the Olympics. «As much as I would like to take the credit… jerseys were just kind of laying on the floor,» Malone recalled. «My wife just started going up, picking up the jerseys, and that’s how it happened.»

Among the most notable items in Malone’s collection were the jerseys worn during the Dream Team’s crucial semifinal win against Lithuania, and a pair of game-worn sneakers signed by each team member. The standout piece was Michael Jordan’s number nine jersey from that semifinal, which alone fetched $3 million and became the most expensive game-used Jordan Olympic item ever sold.

The auction also featured jerseys of other Dream Team legends. Larry Bird’s jersey went for $360,000, Magic Johnson’s for $336,000, Charles Barkley’s for $230,400, and David Robinson’s for $116,400. Additionally, jerseys from Clyde Drexler, Scottie Pippen, John Stockton, Patrick Ewing, Christian Laettner, and Chris Mullin sold for sums ranging from $37,200 to $91,200.

At the time of the 1992 Olympics, for the first time, active NBA stars were allowed to represent the United States. This historic team did not just dominate; they overwhelmed their competition, winning by an average of 44 points. Under the guidance of head coach Chuck Daly, who notably never called a timeout throughout the tournament, the team asserted their supremacy.

While Malone displayed his collection at one of his car dealerships in Utah for many years, he eventually chose to sell the collection through Goldin Auctions. Ken Goldin, the executive chairman of the auction house, described the sale as «a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity» for fans to own a piece of basketball history.

Ultimately, Malone’s foresight in diligently collecting and preserving these jerseys has proven to be a masterstroke, transforming what began as a casual act into one of the most iconic sports collections ever.